The World Alliance of Belarusians celebrated its fifth anniversary in November, 1995. (See news article, below about the the 10th Anniversay.) Well over 10 million people live within the Republic of Belarus, and approximately 3.5 million Belarusians live beyond its borders. Certainly, there is a need for a world alliance of people who have roots in Belarus.
TEL: 375 (017) 289-31-94; 226-87-37
E-Mail: zbsb@lingvo.minsk.by
WWW: http://www.zbsb.org/eng/ (also in Belarusian)
Acting Chairperson: Valery Gerasimov (former Executive Director: Hanna Surmach)
President: Radzim Harecki (Haretski) He is also Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
The preceding information courtesy of: The Belarusian Review, the BelaPAN Independent News Service, and the Batskawshchyna staff.
"The leaders of the World Alliance of Belarusians Batskaushchyna believe that the Belarusian government continues 'Soviet policy' regarding the national disapora totaling more than 3 million people."
"Speaking on September 7 at a news conference on the occasion of Batskaushchyna's 10th anniversary, Aleksei Korol, a member of the Batskaushchyna board, said that the alliance had been formed to unite forces of the national diaspora and the Belarusian people to the benefit of the Motherland. Mr. Korol expressed gratitude to Batskaushchyna President Radzim Harecki (Haretski; Radim Goretsky) for his contribution to the alliance's work. 'He, as all the Goretskys, is a distinguished figure in the history of national rebirth and movement for Belarus' independence,' Mr. Korol said."
"Ivan Saverchenko, another member of the board, said that governmental agencies, 'which have always been of colonial or semi-colonial nature in Belarus," had been putting pressure on Batskaushchyna. He defined as a "cynical and outrageous provocation' the government's decision to establish an association called Svyatlo Radzimy, which is led by Aleksandr Bilyk, chairman of the State Committee on Religion and National Affairs."
"Galina Sergeyeva, a member of the board, said that the authorities had set up Svyatlo Radzimy to organize a convention of Belarusians under its auspices."
"Ms. Sergeyeva said that in the Soviet era, the government made a distinction between 'friends or foes' among emigrants, now the authorities draw the line between emigrants in the CIS countries and in the non-CIS countries. Ms. Sergeyeva said that the Belarusian government assists Belarusian communities abroad only on condition that they support Aleksandr Lukashenko's integration policies. 'In the same way as the authorities divided the Belarusian people, they divided the national diaspora,' ' Ms. Sergeyeva said."
"Valery Gerasimov, acting chairman of the Batskaushchyna board, thanked Belarusian emigrants for their efforts to help Belarus acquire independence."
"Mr. Gerasimov said that the former chairwoman of the board, Anna Surmach, has applied for political asylum in the Czech Republic and lives in Prague, where she actively participates in the work of the local association of Belarusian emigrants."
"Belarus experiences a new wave of emigration, say representatives of the World Alliance of Belarusians Batskaushchyna."
"Aleksei Korol, a member of the Batskaushchyna board, told reporters in Minsk on September 7 [2000] that more than 300 scientists, about 100 athletes, and many intellectuals have left the country in the last decade."
"Galina Sergeyeva, another board member, said that more than 53 percent of those who have settled down in Belarus over the last ten years are not ethnic Belarusians. She said that the government should support the Belarusians who want to return to their historical Motherland."
" 'Hundreds of representatives of the diaspora have returned to Ukraine and are taking part in its economic and cultural restoration, but this has not happened to Belarus,' Ms. Sergeyeva noted."
"She said that Batskaushchyna has drawn up a program for state support and repatriation of the Belarusian diaspora. She pointed out that the government's similar program, which had been launched in 1993, did not work."
"Ivan Saverchenko, a board member, suggested that the government might have used the funds earmarked for support of Belarusians abroad to finance its propaganda machine."
"More than 3 million ethnic Belarusians live outside the country at present. There are 58 Belarusian national and cultural organizations in the world. More than 1 million Belarusians live in Russia. The Cultural and National Autonomy "Belarusians in Russia" maintains close ties with the government while the International Alliance of Belarusians in Russia works closely with Batskaushchyna."
There is also a publishing house, previously associated with the above organization and of the same name. They publish books, booklets, pocket calendars, etc., in Mensk in taraskevitza, with historically accurate content.